Learn How To Properly Care For Your Cuticles

Cuticles may seem unnecessary (and rather unattractive), but when treated with care, they help protect the nail and surrounding skin. When improperly cut or ripped off, not only can they not function as they're supposed to, but you can end up with an infection! By gently and carefully pushing them back, they'll become much less noticeable and still be able to do their job of keeping your fingernails healthy.

We enlisted top nail experts to give you manicure tips and tricks that they use in salons and on celebs. Your clean, hangnail-free fingertips will thank you later!

Never Cut Your Cuticles

"Cuticles should never be cut," says celebrity manicurist Gina Edwards for Kiss Products Inc. "You have to remember that your cuticles act as a barrier to protect from external forces such as bacteria against infection."

Shop products that can help instead! "One of my favorite cuticle treatments is Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover," says Edwards. "It gently removes unwanted extra skin around the nail beds without the need to trim your cuticles. It also contains lanolin and provides soothing agents to heal the area."

Moisturize Hands and Nails

"Hangnails are brought on by dry skin and moisture is key whether you have them or not," advises Edwards. "Frayed skin around the cuticles occurs if you trim them too much. The only solution is to stop the trimming or cutting and moisturize with oil as often as possible to begin the healing process."